Hi! I am from Massachusetts. I'm 63 & have been married for 45 years. We have 3 kids, all married, 5 grandkids & 3 step grandkids.
I am Italian & love to cook & bake!
I also do lots of crafts...right now doing cards & altered art. I still work part time & wish there were more hours in the day.....like everyone else! lol
It will be nice getting to know everyone.
Clara aka nuzzmark

Hi everyone & thanks for the warm welcomes!
I cook mostly Italian , but like other stuff too. I will experiment while cooking & sometimes if I don't write down what I did, I'll forget the ingredients I used! lol
I've been baking cookies forever it seems. Last year I made 20 different varieties!!! must have been loco! I think when I start, I can't stop! I told my friend that we should start a group...Bakers Anonymous!
I'm not making that many this year, although I'm up to about 12.
If you'd like, I can post a recipe for Fruitcake Cookies that is my very favorite...well at least until I can master those pistachio cookies! I got the recipe a few years ago online....something like suite101?? I did change it a bit. Funny story...it calls for apricot brandy. We didn't have any, so I grabbed a bottle of plain brandy..or so I thought. I told my husband & he wanted to see what I used. It was cognac!!! And I've used it ever since! I don't use candied fruit & neither did the guy who wrote the recipe.
just let me know...
Happy cooking & baking!
Clara

If you'd like, I can post a recipe for Fruitcake Cookies that is my very favorite...well at least until I can master those pistachio cookies! I got the recipe a few years ago online....something like suite101?? I did change it a bit. Funny story...it calls for apricot brandy. We didn't have any, so I grabbed a bottle of plain brandy..or so I thought. I told my husband & he wanted to see what I used. It was cognac!!! And I've used it ever since! I don't use candied fruit & neither did the guy who wrote the recipe.
just let me know...
Happy cooking & baking!
Clara

Clara, I would absolutely love your recipe for fruitcake cookies! Truly, I'm not much of a baker, but I could change my mind for cognac-soaked fruitcake cookies! Please share!

Hi Kathleen!
Sorry I didn't get back to you until now...had to work
Here's the recipe: Fruitcake Drops………………This is a doubled recipe & makes about 5 dozen

It would just not seem like the holidays unless I had a few fruitcake cookies in each box of cookies. I do not make traditional fruitcakes since a little fruit cake really does go a long way, but a soft cookie with the flavor of fruitcake is always most welcome. These cookies are great plain, or you can drizzle white chocolate on top of them as described below. I also prefer to use apricot brandy in these cookies, but any plain or flavored brandy can be used. I prefer not putting chopped citron or citrus peels in these cookies, it makes them more kid friendly.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the molasses, brandy, extracts, and eggs until smooth and creamy. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and oats. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend well. Fold in the raisins, pecans, almonds, and cherries until combined. Drop 2 inches apart by the tablespoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. In the top of a double boiler or microwave melt the white chocolate until smooth. Drizzle a little bit of chocolate onto each cookie.